Texas Rangers Blog

During a conference call to announce the signing of center fielder Leonys Martin, Rangers officials said it wouldn’t surprise them if Leonys Martin played in the majors in 2011, though that’s not the “focus.”

Barring an injury, the only way he plays there, however, is if he takes a job away from Julio Borbon.

And based on the way the Rangers described Martin, he’s got the tools to do it. Martin, who is two years younger than Borbon, possess a lot of the same tools as the Rangers’ current center fielder. He is a left-handed hitter with good speed and an ability to hit line drives. Rangers officials also said he’s a “plus defender with a good arm,” “instinctive,” and “has a chance to have an impact on the bases.”

The last three characteristics, if they translate from Cuban competition to the majors, could separate him from Borbon. It led me to ask GM Jon Daniels what kind of impact Martin’s signing has on Borbon’s future.

“It’s a fair question,” Daniels said. “But possession is nine-tenths of the law. Julio has the job right now. He’s started to swing the bat better lately. We need him to contribute now. For the long term, we’re better if we’ve got options and depth. As we saw this spring with our pitching staff, you never know what’s going to happen and when. If we can sign premium talent with premium makeup for premium positions, it’s going to put us in a good spot.”